You would imagine that after a team made its second-ever NBA Finals appearance in franchise history, its core would be retained. But not the Indiana Pacers.
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The Eastern Conference champions have sent off their big man, Myles Turner, in free agency. And, not just to any team, but a divisional rival — the Milwaukee Bucks. With 10 years, Turner was the longest tenured player on the Pacers’ roster, having begun his career alongside Paul George.
Turner then grew in stature with Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo, and eventually, he became the player he is today in the company of Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. Despite a poor performance in the 2025 NBA Finals, Turner was imperative to the Pacers’ success.
It seemed like a foregone conclusion that he would return to the team that gave him a chance. But after all the years of being in trade rumors, Turner signed a four-year deal worth $107 million to leave on his own terms, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
It may be a controversial call, but NBA insider Brian Windhorst doesn’t just think it’s a bad one. He does, however, provide some insight into the morale of the rest of the Pacers’ squad. And it’s anything but up.
“I can’t imagine how furious I would be if I were one of the Indiana Pacers’ core players or their fans right now,” Windhorst said on ESPN’s First Take.
While Windhorst began on a calmer note, it didn’t take him long to raise the tempo. “If I’m an Indiana Pacer right now, I’m absolutely disgusted, I am sick to my stomach. If I’m Tyrese Haliburton, I am breaking things right now,” he proclaimed.
In the past, some teams may have been okay with parting with a key member because a replacement was already in place. The Pacers don’t yet have that luxury.
Windhorst suggests the team may look into free agent DeAndre Ayton. After all, the Pacers offered Ayton an offer sheet in 2022 worth $133 million over four years.
The Phoenix Suns had matched the offer back then, which dampened Indiana’s original plans. But with Turner off the roster, this might be the perfect time to snag Ayton up, even if it is three years later than what they would have liked.
With Haliburton down with a torn Achilles and Turner moving away to play for the Bucks, the Pacers’ reign over the Eastern Conference may end even faster than how it began.
